Device for placing and removing electric-light bulbs.



M. W. ROZLLE' & G. F'. BIRMINGHAM.

DEVICE EoR PLACINC AND CEIvIovINC ELECTRIC LICHT BULBS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. |915.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

w/rA/Essfs."

l Mln A TTORA/Ey MANSCN W. ROZEILE AND GEORGE BIRMINGHAM, KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR PLACING AND REMOVING ELECTRIC-LIGHT BLBS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1916.

Application filed February 26, 1915. serial No. 10,722.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, MANsoN W. ROZELLE andGEORGE F. BIRMINGHAM, citizens of the United States, residing at KansasCity, in

f the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain'newand useful Improvements in Devices for Placing and RemovingElectric-Light Bulbs; and we do declare the following to be a full,

1,3 clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures 15,0f reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to a device for placing and removing electriclight bulbs, and has for its principal object to provide means whereby abulb may be placed in its socket in a ceiling or in a side wall at an,elevation from the oor, and thereby obviate the necessity for the useof a ladder by the person placing or removing the bulb.

. In accomplishing this object we have provided improved details ofstructure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein 2- Figure I is an elevation of a devicecomprising our improvements and indicating its use; the dotted linesshowing the arrangement of the device for placing or removing the sidewall bulbs. Fig. II is yan enlarged longitudinal section on 4the buttend of the device. Fig, III is an enlarged longitudinal section of thegrip end of the same. y

i Referring more in detail to the parts '1 designates a tubular shafthaving a rod 2 extended therethrough and provided at its outer end witha head 3 which terminates 'near the outer end of the shaft and isprovided with an open-end, square socket 4. Mounted within the shaft, atthe outer end thereof, is a barrel 6 having a central aperture 7 in itsbase 8 and providedwith lateral pins 9 which project into the bayonetslots 10 that open from the end rof the shaft 1, to

"removably lock the barrel tothe shaft when the parts A, are assembled,and j revolubly 59 mountedin rthegouterY end of the panel is a plug 12having its inner end rotatably mounted in a collar 11 that is threadedinto a cup shaped enlargement at the outer end of the barrel and seatsat its innerend in a seat 12at the base of said enlargement. The

body of the plug'12 'is exposed at Athe end of the barrel and carriesthe spring fingers 13 having bowed central portions 15 and flaring mouthends 16 adapted for projection over a lamp bulb from the end thereof andyieldingly gripping the bulb when the parts are in place; the inner faceof the spring fingers being lined.with felt, or the like, 17, to afforda grip on the bulb without damaging the latter. f

Located adjacent the end of the plug 12 is an adjusting spider 19 havingslots 20 through which the spring lingers 13 are proe jected, and havinga central aperture 21 into which is threaded a set screw 22; thev head23 of which is anchored in the end of the plug 12 by means of the spacedcollars 24 that lie on opposite sides of the inturned fiange26 on theend of the plug, sol that the set screw may be turned to move the spideroutwardly or inwardly and thereby adjustV the spread of the springfingers. The plug 12 is provided with a central channel 28, and xed insaid channel is a flexible shaft 29 that extends through the barrel 6and carries ka bearing portion 30 that-is revolubly mounted in theaperture 7 in the barrel base and terminates in a squared shank 31 thatis adapted for location in the squared socket 4 in the head 3 so thatwhen the parts are assembled and the head is turned by rotation of thevrod 2 the shank and flexible shaft are turned therewith to rotate theplug 12 and the flexible gripping fingers that are mounted thereon; thebearing'member 30 on the flexible shaft being provided with a stop pin32 for limiting the movement of the squared shank into its socket in thehead 3 and for anchoring the shaft to its barrel.

The inner end .of the shaft 1 is projected into the outer end of atubular handle 35 and is adapted for abutment against the end of alining member 36 that is xed within the handle to limit the projectionof the shaft, Vand the said handle having at its outer end a bayonetslot 38 for receiving a pin 39 near the end of the shaft whereby theparts will be removably connected in the same manner that the barrel 6is connected with the outer end ofthe shaft.

The inner end ofthe rod"2 is provided with 'a' round. plug 41 that fits'snugly within the inner end of the shaft 1 but is adapted for freerevoluble movement therein, and the innerv end of' the plug carries yasquared shank43 which projects through an aperture 44 in the outerclosed end ofthe lining 36, so

that it may seat in a squared socket 45 in the outer end of a handleshaft 46 that is revolubly mounted within the lining; the opposite endof the handle shaft being projected through an aperture 47 in the closedend of the handle 35 and provided with an exterior grip 48 whereby thehandle shaft may be turned when the grip is revolved. The handle shaftis also provided with a collar 49 which is located between the end ofthe lining 3G and the closed end of the handle 35 in order to preventlongitudinal movement of the handle shaft without interfering with thefree rotation thereof.

In the preferred construction, the barrel 6 is formed in two sectionswhich are pivotally connected together by a clamp screw 50 which extendsthrough registering apertures in collars 51 on the separate barrelsections so that the outer section of the barrel may be turned to adesired angle relative to the inner section and locked in such adjustedposition by tightening of the clamp; the flexible shaft 29 bending atthe angle at -which the barrel members are turned in order to carryrotation from the handle rod to the gripping fingers and the slidingconnection of the shaft with the rod 2 providing for extension of theshaft when the outer member of the barrel is turned at an angle.

In using the device, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembledas described, and with the spring fingers spread to receive a. lamp bulbof ordinary size, when the bulbs are to be placed in their sockets eachbulb is first seated between the spring fingers, so that the latter gripthe sides thereof, so that the plug on the bulb is exposed at the endsof theJ fingers. The bulb may be carried to the socket so that the plugis projected into the latter and when the plug is inv proper positionthe bulb is turned to screw the plug to place in the socket; the turningmovement being effected by the operator grasping the handle 35 in onehand and turning the grip 48 with the other hand, so that the sectionalshaft is revolved through the shank and socket connections of theseveral pieces to revolve the spring fin-` gers and turn the bulb.

Should it be necessary to use the device with a bulb of different size,the fingers may be spread or contracted by manipulation of the 'setscrew to advance or withdraw the spideigivhereby the fingers are movedto# ward or froln each other.

Vhen the device is to,` be used for removing the bulbs, the grippingfingers are moved over the bulb as the latter is held in its socketuntil the -swell of the bulb seats within the concaveV portions of thefingers, where V'it is held while the fingers are turned in thedirection to unscrewf the bulb from itssocket,

the fingers holding the bulb after it is re moved from the socket anduntil it is withdrawnbythe operator. A.

When the device is to be used for removing a bulb from a side wallsocket, the outer barrel section may be turned to the proper angle toplace or take the bulb; the fingers being revolved by manipulation ofthe grip in the same manner as for placing or removing a bulb from aceiling socket, as the flexible shaft will turn the angle at the jointof the barrel and will revolve the fingers when the parts are in thisposition; the loose joint of the flexible ,shaft with its body memberallowing` the shaft to be automatically extended when the barrel isturned at the angle.

When the device is to be stored or shipped, the handle and barrelmembers may be removed fromV the body at the bayonet joint; the insideshaft sections pulling apart at the squared shank and socket positionsso that the several sections may be assembled in short lengths.

I-Iaving thus described our invention, what we claim as 'new therein,and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination with a body member, of flexible fingers on the end ofthe body member and inclined outwardly therefrom, a spider slidablymounted on the lingers, and a set screw anchored to the body member andYhaving threaded connection with the spider.

for the purpose set forth.

2. Thecombination with a body member` of a shaft rotatably mountedwithin the body member', a plug on one end of the shaft, gripping'members mounted on the plug, a spider connected with the grippingmembers, a set screw anchored to the plug and engaging the spider, and agrip on the opposite end of the shaft.

3. The combination with a tubular shaft, of a barrel removably moungadin one end of the tubular shaft and comprising sections having pivotalconnection, means for fixing the said sections in adjusted position, aplug on one end of the flexible shaft, a gripping device on lsaid plug,a handle adapted for connection with the tubular shaft, a body shaft runthrough the tubular shaft and said handle and having operativeconnection with the flexible shaft and a grip on said main shaft, andmeans for anchoring the sections of the rotatable shaft within theirinclosing members.

In testimonyk whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

MANSON, W. ROZELLE. GEORGE F. BIRMINGHAM. W'itnesses 1 ARTHUR C. BROWN,LETA E. Cours.

Servies o? this patent mevbe ahem@ i?? #is 98m este by addresses theSommes-eee: e? www Waahngten, D. Q.

